Inside design: Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams

Design Experts

Inside design: Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams

With a respect for the environment, a dedication to charity and a company culture that fosters success, Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams don’t just produce beautiful furniture – they create quality pieces with a conscience.

Photography courtesy of Mitchell Gold and Bob WilliamsSTYLE AT HOME: Tell us how you met and joined forces.Mitchel Gold We met at a bar in New York – [Bob] was adorable, wearing wire-rimmed glasses and a long Lacoste shirt with Madras Bermuda shorts – and we started dating. By summertime, all we could talk about was starting a business together. We bought property to start a vineyard and
Christmas tree farm in Virginia, but about a month later I was promoted at my regular job and we moved to North Carolina. We started the furniture business after that.

SAH: Why did moving mean a different business model?MG In 1989, we noticed people were staying in more,
entertaining at home rather than going out, so we saw an opportunity in the dining niche. We envisioned a little business with 20 to 25 customers, working four days a week, but it took off right away. We sold thousands of chairs the first year!
Bob Williams And we’ve never worked four days a week!

SAH:We’ve heard a lot about the strength of your company culture...MG It was selfish, really: We wanted to see smiling faces at work. When we first bought the factory, it wasn’t air–conditioned and we couldn’t believe how hot it was. That was typical of factories in the ’90s, but we thought it was ridiculous. We saved our money for a whole year and, in the spring, had air conditioning installed, and that was just the start. Now we have good coffee, a daycare centre, a college scholarship program and a health care program with a full-time nurse on-staff. Bob and I agree that if you respect your employees, they respect you back.

SAH: And in terms of style, how are you similar and how are you different?MG We’re really not different! We argue about a lot of things but rarely about style. We both have this simple kind of easy, modern aesthetic. We bothlove 18th-century and
Mid-Century Modern antiques.
BW We like to take traditional pieces and make them more current with colour and fabric, so they feel fresh but familiar at the same time.

SAH: What’s your earliest memory of decor?MG My parents renovated our house when I was young. When it was done, my mother brought us into the living room and said, “You’ve seen it; now don’t come in here anymore.” I remember thinking how ridiculous that was. We never used the front door – always the side door – so I always wanted a living room that’s used. To this day, I still come in the front door of my house – even when the side door is more convenient.
BW My dad was in the air force when I was growing up, so we moved a lot. I was always amazed at how my mother used the same pieces in different houses to make it feel like home. That set the foundation for me in how to mix and reuse the pieces I have.

Lead image courtesy of Fanjoy LabrenzPhotography courtesy of Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams

SAH: You’ve written two books with the word “comfortable” in the title. How does that fit with your company mandate?MG I am not exaggerating when I tell you that no furniture company used the word “comfort” in 1989 – they only spoke about price and style. But it was an important issue. Comfort, for us, is not only about how a chair feels when you sit in it; it should also look comfortable, the price should be comfortable and the whole transaction should feel comfortable.

SAH: And to think all this stems from not being able to go into the living room when you were young!MG Exactly! My family’s furniture wasn’t that comfortable growing up, and neither was Bob’s. In fact, his parents had a really scratchy sofa.
BW You couldn’t take a nap on it! It was a Brillo pad.

SAH: What are the key ingredients for a comfy home?MG One of our mantras is “When a home has been furnished successfully, just walking in the door is like getting a hug.” It has to be inviting.
BW And it needs to be functional. It’s important for homeowners to decide how they want to use the room. Is it going to be a room where everybody watches TV? To lie down and relax? Or is this going to be a room where you are
entertaining friends and family and want to encourage easy conversation?

SAH: What’s the most surprising thing in your homes?BW The most surprising thing isn’t inside my home; it’s outside my home. And that’s the fact that I live in a big red-brick Georgian colonial, which is not what you’d expect. Of course, it’s filled with modern furniture and really shows how the two styles can come together.
MG I have an Adirondack kind of house. I think the thing that people make the most comments about is that they’re surprised that it’s not a bigger house, and that it’s so comfortable. When people visit, they’re a little intimidated at first... But when they walk in, they immediately feel this good energy.

SAH: How do you make your guests feel comfortable?MG We’ve learned a lot over the years: to welcome people when they first come in the door, to make them feel at home right away, to tell them where the drinks are and to have music playing.
SAH: Do you have favourite entertaining music?BW I have a mix of all my favourite songs, so it has no particular attitude – there’s country, a bit of rock ’n’ roll, some vintage songs and Top 40.
MG We had dinner at Bob and Steven’s [Steven Heavner is Bob’s partner] house on Monday night and they played a vast mix of things, but there’s a softness to it all. It’s not heavy metal.
SAH: What designers, architects and artists have influenced you?MG Paul McCobb and Milo Baughman have beenbig for me.
BW Tommi Parzinger. He was German and became popular in the 1950s and ’60s for his accessories – metal wares that feel
vintage and modern at the same time.

SAH: Where do you go or what do you do when you’re feeling uninspired?MG Uninspired? Do we ever feel uninspired?
BW I’m a huge magazine fan, so any time I canget a chance to read through a magazine of any kind and find something that’s kind of inspiring, it takes about 10 minutes to get inspired again. Inspiration is everywhere!

Wine & Spirits

4 must-try classic cocktail recipes

Learn to make these tasty signature cocktails for your next holiday party.

You may not be a mixologist, but these signature drinks will have guests convinced you’ve been taking secret bartending lessons. Word to the wise: Leave the fancy bottle spins to the professionals.

1 The Welder

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Forty Creek Premium Barrel Select Whisky

1/2 oz Aperol

1 oz lemon juice

1 oz chili syrup

1 chili pepper, for garnish

Directions

Pour the whisky, Aperol, lemon juice and chili syrup into an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled lowball glass and top with the chili pepper.

2 Brandy Crusta

Ingredients

Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Granulated sugar, for garnish

2 oz Hennessy Very Special Cognac

Splash orange curaçao

Dash Angostura bitters

Peel of half a lemon, for garnish

Directions

Prepare a rock glass by moistening the rim with a touch of the lemon juice and dipping it in the sugar. Combine the cognac, curaçao, more lemon juice and the bitters in a shaker. Shake and strain into the glass. Add 1 ice cube and the lemon peel garnish.

Kitchen

2017 kitchen design trends

Kitchen

2017 kitchen design trends

Designers and decorators share they favourite kitchen trends for 2017.

For many of us, the kitchen is the hub of the home. It’s where the family convenes every night for dinner. It’s where homework is done and family meetings are had. And it’s where guests gather even though the dining room table is set and a fire is roaring in the living room. There’s something about the kitchen that makes it far more than merely a utilitarian space. If you’re thinking about updating your kitchen this year, check out these hot trends, as identified by designers.

Photography: Michael Nangreaves

1 "Mixing metals is my favourite kitchen design trend for 2017. I think it reflects a more individual, less formal approach to design that is popular with millennials and non-millennials alike. While it takes a bit of an expert eye, it is totally appropriate to mix metal finishes in your faucet, cabinet pulls, chair legs and pendants!" - Designer, Lisa Canning.

2 "While white kitchens will never go out of style, we’re seeing a move towards warmer materials and a less utilitarian or expected approach. Consider the new kitchen an extension of the living and dining spaces, especially those in an open concept arrangement. The thought process is a “not so kitchen, kitchen”. Working with a cohesive colour palette and materials to achieve a sense of unity with adjacent spaces provides a connection with interior elements such as furniture, lighting and decorative details, leaving the kitchen with all the importance of function yet all the style to go along with the rest of your home." - Interior Designer, Nyla Free.

Credit: Stacey Cohen

3 "One top kitchen design trend I love is to have sections of the upper cabinet extended onto the counter. Let's face it, we all love our small appliances (i.e. toaster oven, espresso machine) but we may not want them on display all the time. A multi-purpose kitchen island has been the go-to solution to disguise the microwave and dishwasher, but unless the island is 10 feet long, it is challenging and perhaps impractical for the island to house the small appliances we use daily off the counter. By having the upper cabinets extended to the counter and small appliances sitting behind doors, you can achieve a sleek design statement without sacrificing your morning coffee!" - Blogger and Decorator, Tim Lam.

Photography: Donna Griffith

4 "In 2017, we will continue to see cabinetry painted white and various shades of grey. I think that we will also see cabinetry painted warmer tones such as greige (grey & beige), taupe and mushroom. Islands in a different colour or stain than the perimeter cabinetry will continue to be prevalent. In addition, handcrafted islands that look like furniture with legs will be popular for that unfitted kitchen look. It also adds personality and charm and the kitchen then looks like it has evolved over time. Quartz as a counter will continue to be popular as consumers become aware of its benefits." - Interior Designer, Vanessa Francis.

Photography: Monic Richard

5 "After years of white on white kitchens, our clients are asking for something different again. While you might not want to paint an entire kitchen in one colour to stand out from the crowd, the tendency in 2017 will be to mix natural wood, paint and metals in the kitchen. Try framing the range hood and the island in chrome to add sparkle to the space. Add texture to your cabinetry with a mix of light wood veneered lowers and white lacquered uppers." - Interior Designer, Tara Fingold.

Photography: Donna Griffith

6 "Say hello to dark metals in the kitchen. Polished chrome and nickel accents are giving way to black faucets, burnished steel pendants and matte black cabinetry handles. The dark finishes can work in sleek modern kitchens or the most cottagey of cooking spaces. With white kitchens continuing to dominate, a dash of black can provide high contrast and instantly update tired cabinetry." - Blogger and Designer, Jennifer Flores.

7 "Terra Cotta is back! But it's not the tangy orange clay you're used to. In 2017, Reclaimed Rose Terra Cotta will be hitting it big. Following the trend of reclaimed wood, the rich creams and pale pinks of this antique terra cotta tile will be the next phase in the modern farmhouse kitchen. Look for hexagon or herringbone for a modern take on this old classic. Pairing over-sized pendants and industrial decor with reclaimed terra cotta will help keep the space current." - Designer, Andrea Haraldsen.